The Portland Japanese Gardenannounced that it has raised $20 million of the $33.5 million it needs for its planned expansion. The garden will close for six months, from September 2015 to March 2016. Construction will continue until April 2017, when it will hold a grand reopening ceremony.

Estimated costs for the renovation of the Portland Building are continuing to rise, and now stand at up to $192 million.

The architects and general contractor for the Multnomah County Courthousehave been chosen. On the design side Portland based SRG Partnership will partner with New York based RicciGreene. Hoffman will serve as the Construction Manager/General Contractor.

Construction has wrapped up at the Beauchamp Recreation and Wellness Center, which will open to students and faculty of the University of Portland by the first day of term in August. The Oregonianpublished a photo gallery of the completed building.

Vallaster Corl Architects have scheduled a Pre-Application conference to discuss a new 15 story residential building at Grand & Belmont. The building by Urban Assets Advisors would include 193 residential units, and 90 vehicular parking stalls on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Ground floor retail would open onto SE Grand Avenue.

The Portland Japanese Garden has launched a capital campaign to support its planned expansion, which will include a series of new buildings by acclaimed Japanese architecture firm Kengo Kuma and Associates. The project will leave the existing garden undisturbed, and will add a new cultural village as well a new ticketing area. The expansion of Garden will be Kengo Kuma and Associates’ first public project in North America. The Japanese firm is being assisted by local architects THA Architecture and landscape architects Walker Macy.

The Woods, a project by Solterra Systems and Design for Occupancy Architecture, has received its first review by the Design Commission. The proposed 6 story building will include 50 residential unit, a 2,151 sq ft retail space on the ground floor and a potential 521 sq ft retail space on the second floor. Stacked parking for 13 vehicles is proposed.

The project team behind the planned Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center have returned for a third Design Advice Request hearing in front of the Design Commission. The $212 million, 600-room Convention Center hotel is being developed by Minneapolis based Mortenson, with a design team that includes ESG Architects, Ankrom Moisan Architects and Mayer Reed Landscape Architecture. The hotel is in part being financed by $60 million of Metro issued bonds, which will be backed by lodging taxes paid by hotel guests.

DAR to discuss a Type III Historic Resource Review for a new 15-story mixed-use building with ground level retail, parking (approx. 90 spaces) on the 2nd and 3rd floors and 193 residential units on the upper floors.

GBD Architects have requested Design Advice and scheduled a Pre Application Conference to discuss development on Zidell Block 4 and Zidell Block 6 at the Zidell Yards:

Design Advice Request for project which includes the simultaneous design and development of two separate office buildings on Blocks 4 & 6 of the Zidell property in South Waterfront.

Pre-application Conference to discuss a Type III Design Review and Type II Greenway Review for a project which includes the simultaneous design and development of two separate office buildings, in separate portions of the large site, identified as Blocks 4 & 6 of the Zidell property in South Waterfront. The buildings will have multiple stories and below-grade parking. This proposal was initially discussed at an Early Assistance meeting- EA 15-116928.

Mackenzie have requested Early Assistance to discuss at a project at 6006 NE Holladay St:

Proposal is for a development of a self-storage facility.

YBA Architects have requested Early Assistance to discuss at a project at 1505 NE Killingsworth St:

Proposed four story development with three stories residential on the upper floors and grd floor retail.

Fosler Portland Architecture have applied for a building permit for a project at 8510 N Ivanhoe:

New three story, 20 unit apartment complex; on site bike parking and trash enclosure; no onsite parking

A building permit is under review for a project at 1314 NE Dekum St:

New 3 story (28 unit) apartment building; see comments re: review by State Of Oregon Building Codes Division

A building permit is under review for a project by LRS Architects at 2330 NW Raleigh St:

New four story, 40 unit apartment complex with lobby; on site bike parking and interior trash enclosure;including site work

A building permit is under review for a project by Wright Architecture at 2416 SE 60th Ave:

Construct new 2 story office building, main floor is chiropractice clinic, 2nd floor is office space, detached trash enclosure and bike parking are both less than 120 sf in area, includes associated site work

A building permit was issued to Waterleaf Architecture for a portion of the Lloyd Center Remodel:

Renovation of existing regal cinema space, into creative office with change in occupancy from a to b; newly configured and framed mezzanine; new entrance court with trellis element; new stair and ramp system on west side of the building; new windows throughout the building***see 15-113702-fa for demolition***

Occupancy for conversion of existing historic building with leased commercial to high-end boutique hotel with leased commercial on ground floor. Huber’s will remain open and is not included in this scope of work. Proposed exterior as approved in LU-14-120725 HR

A building permit was issued to Allusa Architecture for a project at 8315 SE Brooklyn St:

New 9 unit 3 story apartment building

A building permit was issued to Carleton Hart Architecture for Miracles Central:

New 6 story mixed use building. 1st floor consists of offices and common areas, floors 2-6 contain 47 apartment units, associated site work included, storwater facilities

Portland Architecturebroke the news of a proposed hotel by William Kaven Architecture on Old Town Chinatown Block 33. At up to 150′ tall, the project will need to wait until zoning changes approved in principle as part of the West Quadrant Plan come into effect.

The Oregonian published details of the proposals received by the PDC for Riverplace Lot 3. One proposal from Gerding Edlen and REACH CDC would include a 30,000 sq ft grocery store, 200 units of low income housing in one building, and 100 units of workforce housing in another building. Another proposal by Williams & Dame and BRIDGE Housing also includes a grocery store, as well as 162 units of market-rate housing and 203 units of affordable housing. The proposal by Capstone Partners, working with Home Forward and Innovative Housing includes 110 market-rate units and 215 units of affordable housing, as well as a grocery store by Fred Meyer.

The Portland Chroniclewrote about the proposed apartments planned for 5134 SE Division St. As noted in the article, a protest was held nearby by the Facebook group Stop Demolishing Portland, with an estimated 40 people in attendance.

The City Council held its first hearing on the SE Quadrant Plan. The Oregonian listed 5 things to know about the plan, which guide development in the Central Eastside for the next 20 years. Although no vote was held, Mayor Hales seemed to indicate that he was still weighing how much protection should be given to industrial users.

Changes might be coming to how density bonuses are achieved in the Central City. The City Council unanimously voted to direct the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to bring forward proposals that scrap a number of the existing bonuses. There are currently a diverse number of ways for developer to gain extra floor area or height, including by providing ecoroofs, bike lockers, theaters on Broadway or simply building residential units. Instead, the council wishes for these bonuses to be narrowed to focus on affordable housing.

Developer Urban Asset Advisors is planning a mixed use development at 7707 SW Capitol Highway, reports the Portland Chronicle. The building would include 71 residential units with 60 parking spaces, and two retail spaces.

A Design Review has been approved for Albina Yard, a new four story office building in the Humboldt neighborhood. The project by Lever Architecture will also include an adjacent two story accessory building. Between the two buildings will be a courtyard with the potential for outdoor seating. Reworks are acting as the developer and builder for the project.